ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan government has appointed Dr. Ashfaq Ahmad as the chairman of its top revenue authority, the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), it said in a notification on Tuesday.
Ahmad’s appointment comes just four months after the government installed Asim Ahmed as the FBR chief. He is the sixth FBR chairman appointed by Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government in three years.
An officer of Grade-21, the second-highest grade in Pakistan’s bureaucracy, Ahmad was until now serving as a member of FBR’s Inland Revenue wing.
He has been appointed the FBR chairman “with immediate effect and until further orders,” the notification issued by the Establishment Division said.
The development comes as Pakistan continues to struggle with its dwindling economy that has seen a historic depreciation of the rupee against dollar (USD1=PKR165.41).
In its efforts to revive the economy and the country’s depleting foreign reserves, PM Khan’s government has replaced five FBR chairpersons since it took over the reins of the country after July 2018 general elections. These former FBR chairpersons include Jehanzeb Khan, Shabbar Zaidi, Nausheen Javaid, Javed Ghani and Asim Ahmad.
Among them, the case of Shabbar Zaidi is the most interesting one. Appointed in May 2019, Zaidi was touted by government functionaries and PM Khan himself as someone who could put the country’s economy back on track. But before Zaidi could work wonders, he resigned in January 2020 on account of “deteriorating health conditions,” only to later publicly criticize the government for its policies and decisions.
PM Khan's government appoints sixth chairman of revenue collection authority in three years
https://arab.news/wkwgy
PM Khan's government appoints sixth chairman of revenue collection authority in three years
- The development comes four months after the appointment of outgoing Federal Board of Revenue chief
- New FBR chairman faces dwindling economy and historic depreciation of rupee against the dollar
Pakistan says defense pact with Saudi Arabia elevated brotherly ties to ‘new heights’
- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia signed strategic defense pact last year pledging aggression against one will be treated as attack on both
- Deputy PM Ishaq Dar says enduring bonds with Islamic and Arab nations form vital pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said on Wednesday that Pakistan’s defense pact with Saudi Arabia elevated its brotherly ties with the Kingdom to “new heights,” stressing that close ties with Arab and Islamic nations form a key pillar of Islamabad’s foreign policy.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement on Sept. 17 last year, pledging that aggression against one country would be treated as an attack on both, enhancing joint deterrence and formalizing decades of military and security cooperation.
Both nations agreed in October 2025 to launch an economic cooperation framework to strengthen trade and investment ties.
“In the Middle East, our landmark Strategic Mutual Defense Agreement with Saudi Arabia has elevated our brotherly ties to new heights,” Dar said while speaking at the Pakistan Governance Forum 2026 event in Islamabad.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister was speaking on the topic “Navigating International Relations Amidst Changing Geo-Politics.”
Dar noted that Pakistan has reinforced partnerships with other Middle Eastern nations such as the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Oman, Egypt and Bahrain. He said these partnerships have yielded “concrete agreements” in investment, agriculture, infrastructure, and energy sectors.
“Our enduring bonds with Islamic and Arab nations form a vital pillar of our foreign policy, and we will continue to expand our partnerships across Asia, Latin America, and Africa,” he said.
Dar pointed out that the presidents of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have undertaken visits to Pakistan in recent months, reflecting Central Asian nations’ desire to boost cooperation with Islamabad.
On South Asia, the Pakistani deputy PM said Pakistan has successfully transformed its fraternal ties with Bangladesh into “a substantive partnership.”
“Similarly, the trilateral mechanism involving China, Pakistan, and Bangladesh has been launched with a view to expanding and deepening regional cooperation and synergy,” the Pakistani minister said.
He said Islamabad has strengthened its “all-weather” partnership with China via the second phase of the multi-billion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor agreement and “unwavering support” from both sides for each other’s core interests.
Dar said Pakistan had also reinvigorated its partnership with the US, advancing cooperation in trade, technology, investment, and regional stability.
“This calibrated approach has enhanced our ability to navigate complexity with skill and confidence, ensuring that our national interests are served without compromising our core foreign policy principles,” he said.
